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$19B Budget Moving Forward

Associated Press

Georgia would spend $19.2 billion under a budget plan given initial approval by a House committee.

Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Committee voted Monday to approve changes to Republican Gov. Nathan Deal's spending plan for the fiscal year starting in July. It next heads to a vote on the House floor.

Georgia would spend $39.3 billion when all sources of money are included, not just cash raised by the state. The plan would slightly increase spending and restore some cuts for education programs. The committee disagreed with one of Deal's proposals to give local school officials more flexibility over how they spend money for student nutritional programs.

Appropriations Chairman Terry England said the state budget is still so tight that there is little funding to fight over.